Larson named Pharmacy Teacher of the Year
February 2002
The following comments were from the award nomination speech presented by students at the Pharmacy Day ceremony:
Each year students in the College of Pharmacy are given the opportunity to nominate teachers who they feel have gone above and beyond. The Teacher of the Year is one who promotes learning both in and outside of the classroom, challenges students to do their best and inspires them to do great things in the profession both now and in the future. Our teachers give us the opportunity to become the professionals that we are striving to be, they are the ones who instill in us the belief that we can make a difference. On behalf of the students of the college of pharmacy, we are pleased to present the award for Pharmacy Teacher of the Year.
All students in the college of pharmacy will have the opportunity to interact with this professor. This individual is not only an exceptional instructor, but a role model as well. As one student put it, “I will always remember the kindness and genuine concern this instructor had for me and other students. Hopefully, I will be able to emulate this trait and help others in the future.” Another student described a situation where a fellow pharmacy student, endured a personal crisis, and it was this teacher that she felt most confident approaching for counsel. She was not disappointed. This professor is responsible for teaching several classes at Drake.
This professor’s classes encourage students to express their thoughts through discussion, small groups and writing assignments. Class evaluations and comments from students show that the classes that this person teaches are highly valued by the students. One student said, “This professor’s knowledge and eloquent presentation of material made concepts easier to understand and piqued the interest of other students. Excellent class and most definitely an excellent professor.”
When classes are not in session, this professor is active in several other areas. This individual has attended numerous conferences on education, always striving to become a better teacher and a better person. This person is also a member of four honor societies and works tirelessly for both professional and university service organizations. Your Teacher of the Year has also received many grants and contracts, written for numerous publications and has delivered many presentations, As if this is not enough, this professor always makes an effort to know the names of all the students in all their classes.
This year’s Teacher of the Year received their bachelor of science from Drake University, a master of science in health care administration from the University of Mississippi and a doctor of philosophy in health care administration from the University of Mississippi. This individual has taught at the University of Mississippi, the University of Arizona, and came to Drake in 1992. It is no surprise to see that this professor has received many awards in the past. This individual has received the Levitt Mentor of the Year Award – a university-wide award that recognizes excellence in mentoring and has received the Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award in the past.
As one student put it, “Well done. You are the best.” It is an honor to present the 2002 Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award to Dr. Lon Larson.
Click here to return to CPHS News